A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 1 · Chapter 21
Chap. XXI.
Directions for the cure of Pretended Knowledge, or Self-conceit.
Becauſe I muſt not oft repeat the ſame things, I muſt refer the Reader to what I have more fully ſaid of this in 27 Directions for certainty of Knowledge in my Chriſtian Directory, Part 3. Chap. 7.THE Cure of this Plague of Prefidence of Pretended Knowledge is it which all the reſt is written for; and muſt now be the laſt in Execution as it was the firſt in my intention. And could men be perſwaded to this following courſe it might be done: But natures vitious inclination to the vice, and the Commonneſs and Strength of Temptations to it, do make me expect to prevail but with a few.
Direct. I. Labour to underſtand the true Nature and Principles of Certainty before opened. Falſe meaſures will make you judge Certainties to be Falſhoods or Uncertain, and Falſhoods to be certain truths. And when you know the conditions of certainty, try all things by them accurately; And if any would by art, perſwade you of the uncertainty of Natures juſt perceptions (by Senſe or Intellect) remember that be they what they will, you have no better or ſurer: They are ſuch as our Creator hath given you to truſt to for your uſe, even for the ends of life.
Direct. II. Diſcern the helps of Knowledge from Knowledge or Certainty itſelf. Believing your Teachers as men, and believing Hiſtorians according to their Credibility and Reverencing the Judgment of Seniors, and of the Church, are all preparative helps to Certainty; And humane Faith is ſuch as to Divine Faith. But do not therefore think that it is the ſame: Nor give men that prerogative of Infallibility which belongeth to God, or to inſpired Prophets who prove their word by Gods atteſtation. The belief of Logicians is needful to your underſtanding Logick, and Logick is a great help to your certain diſcerning of Phyſical and Metaphyſical and Moral Verities. And yet many Rules of your Logick may be uncertain, and you muſt not take the helps of your Knowledge, for Evidence it ſelf.
Some think that nothing is known till we have Second notions for it, or can define it: When things ſenſible are better known by ſenſing them, and uſually ſecond notions deceive men and make them doubt of what they better apprehended without them.
Be very ſuſpicious of all words or terms; 1. As ambiguous, as almoſt all are: And therefore he that cannot diſtinguiſh them muſt needs err by confuſion: 2. Leſt you take the Names for Things, moſt diſputes uſing to carry Controverſies de nomine as if they were de re, or ſlide from this into that.
Dir. III. Therefore alſo truſt not too far to the artificial forms of Argument without or inſtead of the Evidence of the truth of the thing it ſelf. For there are many things ſuppoſed to the infallibility of your Art, which may not themſelves be infallibly true: And mans wit is conſcious of its own Fallibility, and therefore is doubtful leſt it ſhould be deceived in its collections and ratiocinations; Eſpecially when the Engine hath many tacklings, and the Chain many links, we are ſtill in doubt leſt ſome one ſhould break: But the Evidence of the thing in its own reality, which is not wholly laid on the form of an artificial argument, (which is of great uſe) doth ſatisfy more.
Direct. IV. Take truths in Order; the Principles firſt, and the reſt in their true Exurgence and Dependance upon them; And take nothing to be well known which is not known, not only in a Method, but in a Method clearly ſuitable to the things: As Words and Notions, ſo Rules and Methods muſt be fetcht from the Things, and fitted to the Things, or they are vain. Senſe, and Intellect muſt firſt perceive the things themſelves, and be your firſt Tutors in Somatology and Pneumatology; And then theſe muſt do much in making your Logick. The Foot muſt be the meaſure of the Shoe. And remember that you have but a half, fallacious Knowledge, till you know the True Place and Order, and Reſpects, of the thing, as well as the nature and quality of it in it ſelf; and till you can draw up a True Scheme of the things which you know; It is dreams that are incoherent.
Direct. V. Let the great Radical Verities have your greateſt confidence, and not only ſo, but the moſt of your thoughts and Eſtimation and time; and proportionably let the leſſer things have but that ſhare of your Eſteem and Time, and Studies, which they deſerve; (which comparatively will be little.) And make them the teſt of what is further offered to you: And believe nothing which is certainly contrary to them. Argue always à notioribus, and reduce not certainties to uncertainties, but contrarily.
Direct. VI. Keep all your perceptions diſtinct according to the diſtinction of their natures; Let both your Books and your Intellects be like an Apothecaries Shop, where there are different Boxes with different Titles for different things. Let ſenſible perceptions be by themſelves: And the Intellective perception of things ſenſate be by themſelves: And the Intellective perception of its own and the wills Acts be by themſelves: And the collection of the nature of Spirits and Intellective Agents thence, be by themſelves; & the knowledge of Principles, Phyſical and Moral, be by themſelves: And the certainty of Concluſions be ranked according to the Variety of their degrees: The confuſion of theſe different things, cauſeth ſo confuſed a kind of Knowledge, as is next to no Knowledge, and fitter to trouble than to ſatisfy.
Direct. VII. Look to all things, or as many as is poſſible: When half is unknown the other half is not half known. Reſpicere ad omnia is proper to God: Reſpicere ad plurima is neceſſary to the competent wiſdom of a man: To be of a narrow mind and proſpect, is the property of the Ignorant and Erroneous. He that ſeeth only a hand or foot knoweth not what a man is by it: And he that ſeeth only a word knoweth not by that what a Sentence is; Gods works are all one: I know not what we ſhall ſee in Commenius his Panſophy, which they ſay is yet to ſee the Light; how far he hath reduced all Sciences to one. But I little doubt but they may and ſhould be all reduced to two, which are as the Soul and Body that yet make up one man, though not one nature, viz. 1. The foreign or Real part, diſtinguiſhed into that of Subſtances and of Modes (where Morality cometh in, &c.) 2. The Organical part, which fitteth words and Notions to Things. And I am ſure that as the Knowledge of one thing or of many much conduceth to further Knowledge; ſo the Ignorance of one thing conduceth to ignorance and error about others: It is here as in the Knowledge of a Clock or Watch or Muſical Inſtrument: Know all or you know little, and next to none. No man is a fit Judge of Church affairs, who hath not the State of the World in ſome good meaſure in his Eye; elſe he will be like moſt Sectaries who Judge and Talk and Live, as if the World were no bigger than their Synagogues or Sects. He muſt have all the Scripture in his Eye, and all the Body of Divinity and all the World in his Eye; and God himſelf who is more than all, who will not by a narrow mind be cheated into a multitude of Errours. There are abundance of truths unknown to you, which were they known, would rectify your other Errours.
D. VIII. Conclude not haſtily of Negatives. You may eaſilier know that you do know what you do know, than know what it is that you do not know. It doth not follow that there is no more, becauſe you know no more. St. John tells you, that if all that Chriſt did ſhould be written, the World could not contain the Books: You cannot therefore conclude from what is recorded, that he ſaid and did no more than is recorded: Though I am ſure againſt Popery, by my ſenſe and intellect, that there is real Bread and Wine in the Sacrament, I am not ſure by ſenſe that there is no ſpiritual Body of Chriſt: The Negative muſt be otherwiſe proved. I am ſure by my five ſenſes (as they are commonly diſtinguiſhed and numbred) that there are exiſtent all the ſenſible qualities which are their objects: But whether the World may not have more ſenſible qualities, ſuited to many other ſort of ſenſes, which we have no conception, notion or name of, is a thing that no mortal man can know.
You hear many things, and know many things by another man, which make his cauſe ſeem bad: But do you know how many more things may be exiſtent unknown to you, which if you knew, would change your Judgment?
Allow ſtill room and ſuppoſition for abundance of unknown things, which may come hereafter to your knowledge, and make things ſeem to you quite other than they do. How can you poſſibly know how much more may be unknown to you? If I have a Servant that ſtayeth out much longer than I expected, I may conjecture that he could have no buſineſs to ſtay him, but his negligence: But there may be many accidents to cauſe it, which I cannot judge of till I hear him ſpeak.
D. IX. Be ſure that you ſuſpect your firſt apprehenſions of things, and take few conceptions (concluſive) for certain that are not digeſted. Faſten not over tenaciouſly upon Opinions in the beginning at the firſt hearing: Take it for granted that your firſt conceptions of things muſt alter, either as to the Truth, or the Evidence, or the Order, or the Degree. Few men are ſo happy in youth, as to receive at firſt ſuch right impreſſions, which need not after to be much altered. When we are Children, we know as Children; but when we become Men, childiſh things are done away. Where we change not our Judgment of the matter, yet we come to have very different apprehenſions of it. I would not have Boys to be meer Scepticks (for they muſt be Godly and Chriſtians.) But I would have them leave room for increaſe of knowledge, and not be too peremptory with their juvenile conceptions, but ſuppoſe that a further light will give them another proſpect of the ſame things.
D. X. Chuſe ſuch Teachers, if poſſible, as have themſelves attained the things you ſeek; even that moſt ſubſtantial Wiſdom which leadeth to Salvation. For how elſe ſhall they teach others what they have not learnt themſelves! O the difference between Teachers and Teachers! between a raſh flaſhy unexperienced proud wit, and clear headed, well ſtudied, much experienced, and godly man! Happy is he that hath ſuch a Teacher, that is long exerciſed in the ways of Truth, and Holineſs, and Peace, and hath a heart to value him!
D. XI. Value Truth for Goodneſs, and Goodneſs above Truth; and eſtimate all Truths and Knowledge by their uſefulneſs to higher Ends. That is Good as a Means, which doth Good. There is nothing beſides God that is ſimply Good, in, of, and for it ſelf; all elſe is only Good derivatively from God the Efficient, and as a Means to God the final Cauſe. As a pound of Gold more enricheth than many loads of Dirt: ſo a little Knowledge of great and neceſſary matters, maketh one wiſer, than a great deal of pedantick toyiſh Learning. No man hath time and capacity for all things: He is but a proud fool that would ſeem to know all, and deny his ignorance in many things. Even he that with Alſtedius, &c. can write an Encyclopaedia, is ſtill unacquainted with abundance that is intelligible. For my own part, I humbly thank God, that by placing my dwelling ſtill as in the Churchyard, he hath led me to chuſe ſtill the ſtudies which I thought were fitteſt for a man that is poſting to another world. He that muſt needs be ignorant of many things, ſhould chuſe to omit thoſe which he can beſt ſpare. Diſtinguiſh well between ſtudying and knowing for Uſe, and for Luſt: For the True Ends of Knowledge, and for the bare delight of Knowing. One thing is neceſſary, Luke 10.42. And all others but as they are neceſſary to that one. Mortifie the Luſt of uſeleſs Knowledge as well as other luſts of fleſh and fantaſie. Dying men commonly call it Vanity. Remember what a deal of precious Time it waſteth; and from how many greater and more neceſſary things it doth divert the mind; and with what wind it puffs men up; as is aforeſaid. How juſtly did the rude Tartarians think the great Libraries, and multitudes of Doctors, and idle Prieſts, among the Chinenſes to be a foolery, and call them away from their Books to Arms (as Palafox tells us) when all their Learning was to ſo little purpoſe as it was, and led them to no more high and neceſſary things?
D. XII. Yet becauſe many ſmaller parts of Knowledge are neceſſary to Kingdoms, Academies and Churches, which are not neceſſary nor greatly valuable to individual perſons; let ſome few particular perſons be bred up to an eminency in thoſe ſtudies, and let not the generality of Students waſte their time therein. There is ſcarce any part of Knowledge ſo ſmall and uſeleſs, but it is neceſſary to great Societies that ſome be Maſters of it, which yet the generality may well ſpare. And all are to be valued and honoured according to their ſeveral excellencies. But yet I cannot have while to ſtudy as long as Politian how Virgil ſhould be ſpelt; nor to decide the quarrels between Phil. Pareus and Gruter, nor to digeſt all his Grammatical Collections, nor to read all over abundance of Books which I allow houſe room to. Nor to learn all the Languages and Arts which I could wiſh to know, if I could know them without neglecting greater things. But yet the excellent Profeſſors of them all I honour.
D. XIII. Above all, Value, Digeſt, and ſeriouſly Live upon the moſt Great and Neceſſary Certain Truths: O that we knew what Work (inward and outward) the great Truths of Salvation call for from us all! If you do not faithfully value and improve theſe, you prepare for deluſion: You forget your Premiſes and Principles: God may juſtly leave you in the dark, and give you up to believe a lie. Did you live according to the importance of your certain Principles, your lives would be filled with fruit, and buſineſs, and delight, and all this Great: So that you would have little mind or leiſure for little and unneceſſary things. It is the neglect of things neceſſary, which fills the World with the trouble of things unneceſſary.
D. XIV. Study hard, and ſearch diligently and deeply, and that with unwearied patience and delight. Unpleaſant ſtudies tire and ſeldom proſper. Slight running thoughts accompliſh little. If any man think that the Spirit is given to ſave us the labour of hard and long ſtudies, Solomon hath ſpent ſo many Chapters in calling them, to dig, ſearch, cry, labour, wait for Wiſdom, that if that will not undeceive them, I cannot: They may as well ſay, that God's bleſſing is to ſave the Husbandman the labour of plowing and ſowing: And that the Spirit is given to ſave men the labour of learning to read the Bible, or to hear it, or think of it, or to pray to God. Whereas the Spirit is given us to provoke and enable us to ſtudy hard, and read, and hear, and pray hard, and to proſper us herein.
And as vain are our idle Lads that think that their natural Wits, or their Abode and Degrees in the Univerſities, will ſerve the turn inſtead of hard ſtudies! And ſo they come out almoſt as ignorant, and yet more proud than they went thither, to be Plagues in all Countreys where they come, to teach others by example the idleneſs and ſenſuality which they learnt themſelves; and being ignorant, yet the honour of their Functions muſt be maintained, and therefore their ignorance muſt be hid, which yet themſelves do weekly make oſtentation of in the Pulpit, where they ſhould be ſhining lights; and when their own Tongues have proclaimed it, thoſe of underſtanding that obſerve and loath it, muſt be maligned and railed at for knowing how little their Teachers know.
Nothing without long and hard ſtudies furniſheth the mind with ſuch a ſtock of truth, as may be called real wiſdom. That God is the rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him, (and not of the lazy neglecters of him) is the ſecond Principle in Religion, Heb. 11.6. They that cannot be at this labour, muſt be content to know but little, and not take on them to know much. For they are not able to diſcern truth from falſhood: But while they ſleep the Tares are ſowed: Or while they open the Door, all croud in that can come firſt; and they cannot make a juſt ſeparation. Ignorant Perſons will ſwarm with errors; and he that erreth will think that he is in the right: And if he think that it is a divine and neceſſary truth which he embraceth, how zealouſly may he purſue it?
D. XV. Take heed of a byas of Carnal Intereſt, and of the diſturbing Paſſions which ſelfiſh partiality will be apt to raiſe. Men may verily think that they ſincerely love the truth, when the ſecret power of a carnal intereſt, their honour, their profit or pleaſure, is it that turneth about their judgment, and furniſheth them with Arguments, and whets their Wits, and maketh them paſſionately confident, and they are not aware of it. Is your worldly intereſt on that ſide that your opinion is for? Though that prove it not falſe, it proveth that you ſhould be very ſuſpicious of your ſelves.
D. XVI. Keep up unfeigned fervent love to others, even as to your ſelves. And then you will not contemn their Perſons and their Arguments, beyond certain cauſe. You will not turn to paſſionate contentions, and reproaches of them when you differ; and the reverence of your Elders, Teachers, Superiors, will make you more ready to ſuſpect your ſelves than them. Moſt of our ſelf-conceited pretenders to knowledge have loſt their love and reverence of Diſſenters, and are bold deſpiſers of the Perſons, reaſons and writings of all that contradict their errour. And moſt that venture to caſt the Churches into flames, and their Brethren into ſilence and ſufferings, that they may plant their own opinions, are great deſpiſers of thoſe that they afflict, and either hate them, or would make them hateful, leſt they ſhould be thought to be unjuſt in uſing them like hateful Perſons. Love that thinketh not evil of others,1 Cor. 13. is not apt to vaunt it ſelf.
D. XVII. Reverence the Church of God, but give not up your underſtandings abſolutely to any men; but take heed of taking any Church Sect or Party inſtead of the Infallible God. With the Univerſal Church you muſt Embody and hold Concord: It is certain that it erreth not from the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity: Otherwiſe the Church were no Church, no Chriſtians, and could not be ſaved: If a Papiſt ſay, [and which is this Church?] I anſwer him, It is the Univerſality of Chriſtians, or all that hold theſe Eſſentials; and when I ſay that this Church cannot fall from theſe Eſſentials, I do but ſay it cannot ceaſe to be a Church: The Church is conſtituted of, and known by the Eſſentials of Faith; and not the Eſſentials of Faith conſtituted by the Church, nor ſo known by it; though it be known by it as the Teacher of it.
He that deſerteth the Chriſtian Univerſality, (in deed though not in words) and cleaveth too cloſe to any Sect, (whether Papal or any other) will be carried down the ſtream by that Sect, and will fill his underſtanding with all their errors and uncertainties, and confound them with the certain truths of God, to make up a mixt Religion with; and the reverence of his Party, Church or Sect, will blind his mind, and make him think all this his duty.
D. XVIII. Fear Error and ungrounded Confidence. Conſider all the miſchiefs of it, which the World hath long felt, and the Churches in Eaſt and Weſt are diſtracted by unto this day; and which I have opened to you before. He that feareth not a ſin and miſchief is moſt unlikely to eſcape it. A tender Conſcience cannot be bold and raſh, where the intereſt of God, the Church, and his own and others Souls is ſo much concerned: When you are invited to turn Papiſt, or Quaker, or Anabaptiſt, or Antinomian, or Separatiſt, think, What if it ſhould prove an Errour; and as great an Errour as many godly learned men affirm it to be? Alas what a gulf ſhould I plunge my Soul in? What injury ſhould I do the Truth? What wrong to Souls? And ſhall I raſhly venture on ſuch a danger, any more than I would do on Fornication, Drunkenneſs, or other ſin? And doth not the ſad example of this Age, as well as all former Ages warn you to be fearful of what you entertain? O what promiſing, what hopeful, what confident Perſons, have dreadfully miſcarried, and when they once began to roll down the Hill, have not ſtopt till ſome of them arrived at Infidelity and Prophaneneſs, and others involved us all in confuſions? And yet ſhall we not fear, but rage and be confident?
And to ſee on the other ſide what darkneſs and deluſion hath faln upon thouſands of the Papal Clergy, and what their Errour hath coſt the World, ſhould make thoſe that are that way inclined alſo fear.
Direct. XIX. Above all pray and labour for a truely humble mind, that is well acquainted with its own defects; and fear and fly from a proud overvaluing of your own underſtanding. Be thankful for any Knowledge that you have, but take heed of thinking it greater than it is. The Devils Sin, and the imitation of Adam, are not the way to have the illumination of Gods Spirit. It is not more uſual with God to bring low thoſe that are Proud of Greatneſs, than to leave to folly, deceit and errour, thoſe that are proud of Wiſdom; and to leave to Sin and Wickedneſs thoſe that are proud of Goodneſs. A Proud underſtanding cannot be brought to ſuſpect it ſelf, but is confident of its firſt undigeſted apprehenſions: It either feeleth no need of the Spirits light, but deſpiſeth it as a fancy; or elſe it groweth conceited that all its conceptions are of the Spirit, and is proud of that Spirit which he hath not. Nothing maketh this peremptory confidence in falſe conceits ſo common, as Pride of a knowledge which men have not. Would the Lord but humble theſe perſons throughly, they would think, Alas! What a dark deceitful mind have I? how unfit to deſpiſe the judgment of them that have laboured for knowledge far more than I have done, and how unfit to be confident againſt ſuch as know much more than I?
But ſo deep and common is this Pride, that they that go in rags, and they that think themſelves unworthy to live, and are ready to deſpair in the ſenſe of Sin, do yet ordinarily ſo overvalue their own apprehenſions, that even theſe will ſtifly hold their vain and unpeaceable opinions, and ſtifly reject the judgment and arguments, of the wiſeſt and beſt that will not be as envious as they.
Direct. XX. Laſtly, Keep in a Child-like, teachable, learning reſolution, with a ſober and ſuſpended judgment, where you have not ſure evidence to turn the ſcales. When Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 18.3. Except ye be converted and become as little Children, ye ſhall in no wiſe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; As he hath reſpect to the humility of Children in general (and their inception of a new life) ſo in ſpecial he ſeemeth to reſpect them as Diſciples: ſet Children to School and their buſineſs is to hear and learn all day; They ſet not their wits againſt their Maſters and do not wrangle and ſtrive againſt him, and ſay, It is not ſo; we know better than you. But ſo abominably is humane nature corrupted by this Intellectual Pride, that when once Lads are big enough to be from under a Tutor, commonly inſtead of Learning of others, they are of a teaching humour, and had rather ſpeak two hours than hear one; And ſet their wits to contradict what they ſhould learn, and to conquer thoſe that would inſtruct them; and to ſhew themſelves wiſer than to learn to be more wiſe; and we can ſcarce talk with Man or Woman, but is the wiſeſt in the Company, and hardlieſt convinced of an errour.
But two things here I earneſtly adviſe you: 1. That you ſpend more time in Learning than in Diſputing: Not but that diſputing in its ſeaſon is neceſſary to defend the Truth: But uſually it engageth mens wits in an eager oppoſition againſt others, and ſo againſt the truth which they ſhould receive: And it goeth more according to the ability of the diſputants, than the merits of the cauſe. And he that is worſted is ſo galled at the diſgrace, that he hateth the truth the more for his ſake that hath diſhonoured him: and therefore Paul ſpeaketh ſo oft againſt ſuch diſputing, and ſaith that the Servant of the Lord muſt not ſtrive, but be gentle, and apt to teach, and in meekneſs inſtruct oppoſers.
I would ordinarily if any Man have a mind to wrangle with me, tell him; [If you know more of theſe things than I, if you will be my Teacher, I ſhall thankfully hear and learn] and deſire him to open his Judgment to me in its fulleſt evidence: And I would weigh it as the time and caſe required; And if I were fully ſatisfied againſt it, I would crave leave to tell him the reaſons of my diſſent, and crave his patient audience to the end. And when we well underſtood each others mind and reaſons, I would crave leave then to end in peace; unleſs the ſafety of others required a diſpute to defend the Truth.
2. And my ſpecially repeated counſel is, that you ſuſpend your judgment till you have cogent evidence to determine it. Be no further of either ſide than you know they are in the right, caſt not your ſelf into other mens opinions haſtily, upon ſlight reaſons at a blind adventure. If you ſee not a Certainty judge it not Certain, If you ſee but a Probability, judge it but Probable. Prove all things, and hold faſt that which is good. The Bereans are commended for ſearching the Scripture,1 Theſ. 5. Act. 16. and ſeeing whether the things were ſo which Paul had ſpoken. Truth feareth not the light. It is like Gold, that loſeth nothing by the fire. Darkneſs is its greateſt Enemy and Diſhonour. Therefore look before you leap: you are bid, Believe not every Spirit,1 John. 2. but try the Spirits whether they be of God. Stand ſtill till you know that the ground is ſafe which you are to tread on. When Poyſoners are as Common as Phyſicians, you will take heed what you take. It's ſafer when once you have the eſſentials of Chriſtianity, to take too little than too much: For you are ſure to be ſaved if you are meer true Chriſtians; but how far Popery, Antinomianiſm, &c. may corrupt your Chriſtianity is a controverſie. Wiſh them that urge you, to forbear their haſte in a matter of everlaſting conſequence: Theſe are not matters to be raſhly done. And as long as you are uncertain, profeſs your ſelves uncertain; and if they will condemn you for your ignorance when you are willing to know the truth, ſo will not God. But when you are certain, reſolve in the ſtrength of God, and hold faſt whatever it coſt you, even to the death, and never fear being loſers by God, by his Truth, or by Fidelity in your Duty.
PART II.
Of true ſaving Knowledge: I. Cauſing our Love to God. II. Thereby Qualifying us for his Love.
1 Cor. 8.3.
But if any man Love God, the ſame is known of him.