Forty Sermons, Sermon 1 · Sermon 2
THE Text had two parts.
1. The Purchaſe, foreign, the excellent Sermon II knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. 2. The price that our Apoſtle Preacht at St. Maries Octob. 18. 1646.was chearfully willing to come up to, that he might compaſs it, foreign, he accounted all things loſs, that he might gain it.
In the handling the former part the laſt time I endeavoured as I was able (though infinitely under its worth) to hold forth and commend to you the ſupereminent excellency of the ſaving knowledge of Chriſt above all other things, and all other knowledge whatſoever. But as (they ſay) the Jews are now wont, when ever they build an Houſe to leave ſome part of it imperfect in reference to Jeruſalems ruins which they would remember, ſo in all our largeſt diſcourſes of Chriſt and his Excellencies of neceſſity ſomething, yea much muſt be left unſaid, becauſe there is infinitely more than we can comprehend: the half of our Solomons glory will 1 King. 10. 7.never be told. Here the moſt copious and fluent Orator muſt cloſe his imperfect ſpeech with a Dicebam inſtead of a Dixi, and draw the Curtain of ſilence over thoſe foreign, which he cannot draw and ſet out to the life. And yet it's good digging deeper in ſuch golden Mines, and another hour would be well ſpent in viewing and admiring that infinite excellency, which in Heaven we ſhall be adoring to Eternity. Should we lanch out, we may ſoon be ſwallowed up in that bottomleſs Ocean. And therefore for this time let us rather draw the net to the ſhore, and in the ſecond applicatory part of the Text ſee what we have taken, or whether our ſelves rather be ſo taken with an holy admiration and deſire of it, that with our Apoſtle we can be willing to ſuffer the loſs of all for it. foreign, yea doubtleſs, and I count all things as loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord.
And if that be ſuch a tranſcendent excellent knowledge.
Firſt, How low ſhould the conſideration of it lay even Scholars Uſe 1 of the higheſt form in their thoughts and eſtimate of all their other knowledge in compariſon of it! and of themſelves as long as they fall ſhort of it. Behold the height of the Stars, how high they are! ſaid Eliphaz to Job: But it was that he might have Cap. 22. 12.more lowly thoughts of himſelf. And when we look up and ſee how high Heaven is above, we cannot but think what poor low things we are in the Ant-hill here beneath. Yea by how much more exactly the Aſtronomer by his inſtrument can take the height of Sun or Star, by ſo much the more fully he apprehends at what a wonderful diſtance he and the higheſt Mountain of the whole Earth is under it. O that the conſideration of this high tranſcending excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt might help us (though not to low thoughts of learning yet) to more lowly thoughts of our ſelves notwithſtanding all our other knowledge, that the dazeling brightneſs of the ſun of Righteouſneſs might at leaſt ſo far blind us, as to hide pride from us: pride, which is the great learned mans greateſt and dangerouſeſt ſnare, in which by reaſon of his learning and knowledge he is eaſilieſt taken, and by which he is moſt of all hindred from this more excellent knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt.
1. Moſt eaſily taken with it, it being a very hard thing to be a knowing man, and not to know it, to be learned and humble together; for the King of Tyre to be as wiſe as Daniel, and not to be as Ezek. 28. 2, 3.proud as Lucifer, foreign, knowledge puffs up ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 8. 1. and uſually the more aiery and empty the knowledge is, it makes the bladder ſwell the more. The Devil is a very knowing and a very proud Creature. The moſt learned Philoſophers and wiſeſt Stateſmen amongſt the Heathen, have been noted for pride; vain-glory and an impotent deſire of applauſe being accounted by them a piece of gallantry rather than a vice. And although by Chriſtians it cannot but be accounted a ſin, yet even amongſt them ſuch as excel others in knowledge are oft known by it. The more able in this kind of old were very ready to deſpiſe the weak, and to over-look them which were under them. Rom. 14. 3. The ſupercilium with which the great Rabbies deſpiſed the poor ignorant people that knew not the punctilioes of the law. John 7. 49. and the Typhus of many of our great Criticks, who account themſelves the greateſt (if not the only Scholars) plainly ſhew, that as it was an hand of pride which was lift up at firſt to the tree of knowledge, ſo it is a fruit, which hath been very ready to grow upon that tree ever ſince. To have high parts and a lowly heart, is a rare temper, moſt excellent, but ſeldom met with. A man cannot look upward and downward together. Happy were it that even the man of God to all his other learning could add this skill, whilſt with one eye he is ſoaring aloft in higheſt ſpeculations, at the ſame time he could look ſo low as to ſee himſelf and all other learning nothing, but folly in compariſon of this more excellent knowledge, becauſe as pride firſt is the Scholars ſpecial ſnare, in which he is eaſilieſt taken. So
2. That whereby he is moſt hindred from this ſaving knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, whether we conſider it on Gods part or our own.
1. On Gods, who takes no pleaſure to communicate Himſelf in ſo precious a mercy to a proud Creature. The Scripture ſaith he beholds ſuch afar off. Pſal. 138. 6. and then they will be as far from beholding Chriſt in any nearer approach. Nay that he reſiſts them. James 4. 6. and what advance can Balaam make when an Iſa. 29. 15. Rom. 1. 21, 22. 1 Cor. 1. 19, 20, 21.Angel, can theſe when God ſtands to reſiſt them? The Apoſtle in his Epiſtles to the Romans and Corinthians, fully ſhews, how God blaſted all thoſe high-conceited, great learned men of old, foreign, whether Philologiſts or Philoſophers, natural or moral, as ſome expound thoſe three words, foreign Grotius.foreign, he brought to nought all their wiſdom, that as learned and profound as they were, foreign, when they profeſſed themſelves wiſe, they became fools, when they proved ſo proud as to account the Goſpel fooliſhneſs; and notwithſtanding all their depth and ſolidity they became moſt vain, vaniſhed quite away into meer emptineſs, were ſwoln empty Bladders.
—foreign.
in the wiſdom of God, by wiſdom could not come to the knowledge of God; but proved moſt vain and corrupt when they endeavoured to be moſt accurate, as its obſerved, that Ariſtotle ſpeaks more wide of God in his Acroamaticks than in his Exotericks, and in after-times how dull and arid ſome Schoolmen and other Writers are in the more ſpiritual truths about Jeſus Chriſt and the Power of Godlineſs, who were moſt ſubtle and acute in other ſpeculations: the ſaving knowledge of a crucified Chriſt ſuting beſt with that Chriſtian heart, in which proud conceits of theſe carnal excellencies are crucified, and God delighting to give grace to the humble, and Jam. 4. 6. Pſal. 25. 9.promiſing the meek that he will teach them his ways. In ſome low Vault (they ſay) they may ſee Heaven more diſtinctly than they that are on the upper ground. I am ſure the more lowly the heart is, the higher pitch it riſeth to of the ſaving knowledg of him, who bad Matth. 11. 25. ad 30.us learn of him to be meek and lowly, preſently after he had thanked his Father that he had hid thoſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and had revealed them to babes. Babes in humility do here prove men in underſtanding. It was a Piſcatoria ſimplicitas, that at firſt made the beſt Preacher, and a like ſimple-hearted lowlineſs of ſpirit is yet and will ever be a great help to make the beſt Scholar, eſpecially in this piece of learning of the excellent knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, who is ever ready to teach them moſt, who acknowledge themſelves to know leaſt, as he is wont to be all in all to them who to themſelves and in themſelves are nothing. It is Scultetus his Exercit. Evangel.obſervation of Oſiander, and ſome other like him, that uſually foreign are wont to be very proud; but all may obſerve, that they who are foreign of all, are moſt humble. Socrates did not know the leſs, becauſe he profeſſed he knew nothing, nor was Agur any whit the more unlearned, becauſe he acknowledged he was more brutiſh than any man. Prov. 30. 2. Some think he was Ithiel and Ʋcal's Tutour, who are there mentioned. That I cannot ſay. But this I may, that a man of his humble temper is the fitteſt Scholar for Jeſus Chriſt, who (as others think) is ſignified by that Ithiel and Ʋcal; ſo that we have not more need to be ſtudious, if we would be learned, than to be humble if we would be made wiſe to ſalvation; becauſe pride on the one ſide makes God unwilling to teach us,
2. And us on the other, as unwilling to learn of him. Pride may poſſibly prick us on to learn other things, but it's an humble heart only that knowing its own blindneſs and darkneſs ſends a man to School that he may learn Jeſus Chriſt; for ſelfulneſs (as an intus exiſtens) hinders us from taking in the fulneſs of Chriſt, as the Jews going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs did not ſubmit to the righteouſneſs of God. Rom. 10. 3. and the thoughts of their own freedom hindred them from accepting true liberty by Chriſt. John 8. 33. ſo conceit of our own learning and wiſdom ſo prepoſſeſſeth the heart, that it prejudiceth it againſt the ſaving knowledge of Chriſt, ſo that his Goſpel to the learned Greek is no better than fooliſhneſs. 1 Cor. 1. 23. and with the great Rabbies they are but the curſed Ideots which know not the law, who believe in Chriſt. John 7. 48, 49. The higheſt and hardeſt Leſſons in Chriſts School, as Self-Denial, Taking up the Croſs, and the like; being diametrically oppoſite to the main Principles of that foreign, which therefore ſtands out in Enmity againſt them. Rom. 8. 7. and becauſe it looks at them as ſilly and poor low notions, fit only for mean and low ſpirits and apprehenſions, doth not more hate them than deſpiſe them, as Micha…l did David for 2 Sam. 6. 16. 20.dancing before the Ark, and told him in plain terms that he played but the fooliſh Morice-Dancer in ſo doing, as the wiſe men of the World are wont ſo far to make uſe of Religion as may countenance their deſigns, but (they ſay) they will not follow it too near at the heels, leſt it ſhould daſh out their brains. And ſo P. Martyr and Deodate, expound thoſe ſearchings of heart about Reuben, of Judg. 5. 15, 16.their being wiſe Stateſmen, but therefore ſo wiſe, as they would not fooliſhly adventure for God and his people. It's a very bitter Pill, and hardly ſwallowed, that a man who is in reputation for Eccleſ. 10. 1.wiſdom, ſhould out of zeal to God, and in obedience to his word, do that which the World would call him a fool for his labour; or that a very learned and great-read man (as Paul even in the judgment of his Enemies, in this kind uſ que ad invidiam, rarely eminent) for him. 1 Cor. 2. 1. to preach not ſo loftily as to give Felix occaſion to ſay, that much learning made him mad: but ſo plainly, as Act 26. 24.other learned men might count it the fooliſhneſs of preaching, here is 1 Cor. 1. 21.always a trial, and too often a ſnare, which he is a happy man, that is not taken in.
For the Devil too well knows how precious and uſeful a talent knowledge and learning is, and therefore he labours.
1. Either to bring men to neglect it, as they that dote upon honours, As the Dunghill Cock did the Pearl.profits and pleaſures, that have more of the brute than the man in them. Such fools hate knowledge. Prov. 1. 22.
2. Or to corrupt it, ſo as God may have no pleaſure in it, and no readier way to that than by making them proud of it, as we have it in the inſtance of Babylon, and the King of Tyre. Iſa. 47. 10, 11. Ezek. 27. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c.
But, that when God raiſeth up our parts in learning, we do not lift and puff up our hearts with pride, it may be of great uſe to conſider,
1. How frequently the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture blows upon all our wiſdom and learning, that he may blaſt the beauty of it, and ſo keep us from being proud of it, cries, Woe to them that are wiſe in their own Eyes. Iſa. 5. 21. proclaims it the greateſt folly to truſt to our own wiſdom. Prov. 28. 26. warns us not to lean to our own underſtanding. Prov. 3. 5. nay chargeth us to be fools that we may be wiſe. 1 Cor. 3. 18. and the like. And is all this to advance 1 Cor. 8. 2. Job 15. 8.folly? or rather to debaſe pride. To undervalue learning, No, but to ſhew of how little worth it is in compariſon of the learning of Chriſt; not (as the Devil blaſphemouſly ſuggeſted to Gen. 3. 5.Eve) becauſe God envieth us knowledge, but becauſe he would have us know our ſelves, and how little able we are of our ſelves ſavingly to know him.
2. How blind and ignorant we are by nature. One of the moſt Ariſtot. Metaphyſ. l. 1. c. 1. Job 36. 29. 37. 15, 16, 17, &c. doſt thou know? and doſt thou know? and ſo c. 38. 4. 2. 39. 1.quick-ſighted Sons of Nature compares us to Batts. The Scripture to wild Aſs-Colts. Job 11. 12. ſaith it's but a very little that we know of the things of nature. Job 26. 14. and juſt nothing of things of an higher nature. Job 8. 9. that as natural men we do not, nay we cannot know them. 1 Cor. 2. 14. and when they are ſo hid from us, ſhould not pride be hid from us to? when God asks Job, where is the place of darkneſs. Job 38. 19. may not every natural man lay his hand upon his heart and ſay, here Lord.
3. For acquiſite knowledge and learning. How extreamly ignorant greateſt Scholars have been of the things of God? The wiſe men of the Eaſt, (whatever they were called before) began Cartwright in loc.then to be truly wiſe when they came to ſeek after Chriſt. Matth. 2. 1. for otherwiſe there were ſome nearer home that were wiſe to do evil, who to do good bad no underſtanding. Jer. 4. 22. and therefore the Prophet there, and in the following Chapters all to beſools Jer. 5. 21. 8. 8, 9.them. Nicodemus a Doctor of the Law, could not ſay his Catechiſm. John 3. 10. The great Philoſophers even in the wiſdom of God knew not God. 1 Cor. 1. 21. nay, Noctuae Athenas. In Athens it ſelf was an Altar but to the unknown God, whom ye ignorantly worſhip, ſaid Paul. Act 17. 23 But was it not a bold part of him See Chryſoſtom in locum.to brand thoſe Univerſity-men with Ignorance, who moſt abounded with knowledge? Or, was it not rather ſtrange that to them that were ſo ſtudious and inquiſitive after news, v. 21. God's Creation of the World, and Chriſt, and the Reſurrection (the three firſt great Letters in every Chriſtians Primier) ſhould be foreign ſtrange things, v. 20. thinking (as ſome of ours have obſerved) Selden de Diis Syris.that whilſt he preached, foreign (v. 18.) the former had been a new God, the latter a new ſtrange Goddeſs, which he had propounded to them to be put into their Calendar. But it's no news that Chriſt and the true God ſhould be miſtaken for a ſtrange God to ſuch as are ſtrangers from God, though never ſo well acquainted with other literature, of whom is too often verified what Lucan ſaid of the Dryades.
Solis nôſſe Deos & coeli ſydera vobis,
Aut ſolis neſcire datur.
There were learned men in England, when yet Mr. Fox ſaid to his friend, Brother, Brother, Jeſus Chriſt is not known in England. We think there's more knowledge in England now than there was then, I fear (though) Chriſt is leſs known, I am ſure he is more blaſphemed.
4. Nay fourthly, to this purpoſe conſider, that whilſt we here carry this dark houſe of earth about with us; even by grace we know but in part. 1 Cor. 13. 9. are but tender-eyed Leah's, and Gen. 29. 17. Rev. 3. 18.therefore have need of Chriſt's Eye-ſalve, that we may better diſcern his beauty and our own deformity. Nay though the Spouſe hath Doves Eyes (and they are bright and clear) yet they are inter cincinnos within her locks: ſo that neither her beauty is ſeen by Cant. 4. 1. Brightman in loc.others, nor doth ſhe ſee the beauty of Chriſt ſo fully as might be deſired. When neareſt, we are far from a full view, and when gotten higheſt, this foreign is ſo far above us, that if duly conſidered would lay us low in thoughts of our own underling lowneſs, as one that ſtanding alone thinks himſelf a …all proper man, or by one that's lower than him… overlooks himſelf; if by a Giant ſeeth what a dwarf he is.
5. This I only add, that thoſe whom God hath lifted up and advanced to higheſt abilities and ſerviceableneſs in his Church, he hath been wont firſt to lay low in their own Eyes, taken them off from their own Legs, let them ſee how brutiſh. Prov. 30. 2. and how childiſh. Jer. 1. 6. they are in themſelves, able to know little and to do nothing, that he being acknowledged to be All, he may have all the praiſe; they humbled at the firſt, and he exalted both then and ever after.
Thus the tranſcendent height and excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt ſhould lay us all low in our own Eyes.
But ſhould withal raiſe up all our hearts to higher deſires and Uſe 2 more earneſt endeavours after it; to be ſure we purchaſe this wiſdom at any rate, for ſeeing its ſuch ſupereminent knowledge, we certainly are fools ſo long as we leave it out of the bargain; According to the Pſalmiſts Prayer, to apply or (as the word is) to bring our hearts to wiſdom. Pſal. 90. 12. and according to Solomon's direction, above all gettings to get underſtanding. Prov. 4. 7. what a greedy but yet holy Covetouſneſs doth St. Auſtin commend to us in that expreſſion of his, Capiat quiſ que quod poteſt in quantum Tractat. 1. in Joan.poteſt, qui non poteſt, nutriat, cor ut poſſit, &c. that every one ſhould take what he can, as much as ever he can, and he that is weak ſhould labour to grow up to more ſtrength, that at laſt he may carry away more than now he can, was it a foreign that the man was ſick of; that the more he ate the more he hungred? No, but a ſpiritual appetite of a divine object, that, (as fire the moſt ſpiritual Element, the more its fed the more it burns, ſo) the more that the Divine Soul taſts of this ſweetneſs, the more it thirſts and longs for greater ſupplies.
1. And this becauſe herein we cannot exceed: for however in ſome other Caſes (whilſt we follow our own conceits) we may be overwiſe. Eccleſ. 7. 16. and too much learning hath made ſome men mad: yet I am ſure the more we have learnt of Chriſt, the more are we able (with Paul) to ſpeak the words of truth and ſoberneſs. Act. 26. 24, 25. and no fear of being here over-wiſe, unleſs we could be over-happy: or of going and getting too faſt or too far, when Paul who very far advanced, profeſſeth he had not attained. Philip. 3. 12, 13.
2. But the danger on the contrary is in falling ſhort, and it's juſt ſo much of eternal life, as it is of the ſaving knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt. John 17. 3. Ignorance being Satan's blind, which he ſets up in our way to life; the mother of Popiſh Devotion, but in truth one of the moſt dangerous Precipices into irrecoverable deſtruction; for as there is no hitting upon happineſs by a blind peradventure, ſo there is no right ordering of our ſteps to it, when we know not, that we are out of the way. What miſchief other ſins do us by their greater atrocity and more deadly guilt, the ſame ignorance doth (it may be) by leading of us blindfold into the worſt of them; for they that walk in the dark know not at what they ſtumble. Prov. 4. 19. Or at leaſt by cutting off all hope of help, whilſt it renders us ſenſleſs both of remedy and malady, both of the ſmart of our wound, and of the way, nay of any need of our Cure. Other ſins are like a malignant Feaver, this of ignorance like a ſenſleſs Lethargy; much different, but both deadly. And ſo Solomon's Proverb that brings this blind-folded man erring from the way of underſtanding, leaveth him in the Congregation of the dead (Prov. 21. 16.) as in an irrecoverable, hopeleſs condition. To which purpoſe is both that of the Prophet, where God compaſſionately complains, that his people periſh for want of knowledge. As likewiſe ſuch other expreſſions as thoſe. Pſal. 49. 20. 79. 6. 95. 10, 11.Hoſ. 4. 6. and that of Elihu. Job 36. 12. where to die without knowledge is threatned as that which ſealeth upon us the bottomleſs pit, ſo as never to ſee or take hold of the paths of light and life, and ſo this inward, and at laſt that outward darkneſs meet and lie down together for ever. I only add that the deſperateneſs of this danger is aggravated, when this ignorance is affected, when we are willingly ignorant. 2 Pet. 3. 5. as we do not know, ſo we will not underſtand. Pſal. 82. 5. not only ſimply blind that we cannot, put froward, and ſo wink with our eyes, and will not Jer. 9. 6.ſee. Matth. 13. 15. And this is the rather to be heeded becauſe too often practiſed; no knowledge and wiſdom being ſo deſpiſed and loathed as this of Chriſt, which the Text calls excellent; all other kind of learning, though not alike fancied by all, yet hated by none but by brutiſh ignorants that know not the worth of it. That I may uſe Solomon's Phraſe, Prov. 1. 9. it's an ornament of grace to the head, makes us fine, and ſo we are both glad and proud of it. But it's this true knowledge of Chriſt that works grace in the heart, which a corrupt proud heart cannot brook, and therefore doth hate it. Prov. 1. 29. and all the means of it, ſay unto God, Depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy ways. Job 21. 14. Now of all others theſe froward fools hating of knowledge the Scripture looks at as a moſt dangerous, ſaith that this their peeviſh turning away will ſlay them. Prov. 1. 32. that whilſt they hate wiſdom, they love death. Prov. 8. 36. and their bidding God depart now will be anſwered with a Depart from me ye Matth. 25. 41.curſed at the laſt day.
And that we may be the more ſenſible how nearly we are herein concerned; be pleaſed to conſider that Ignorance of Chriſt is ſo much willingly and wilfully affected, as the proffers of Chriſt, and the means and opportunities of the true and ſaving knowing of him and acquaintance with him are neglected. Now our opportunities in this kind are fair and our advantages great; we had therefore need have our eyes in our head to look about us, that we prove not like Solomon's fool, that hath a price in his hand, but Prov. 17. 16.wants a heart to improve it.
1. As men. For a man without knowledge is unmanned and become a beaſt. Pſal. 49. 20. Anaxagoras ſaid he was born coelum & ſolem intueri, to eye the Sun and heaven. Poor man! that he was ſo ſhort-ſighed as not to have looked higher to the Sun of righteouſneſs, we are indeed all born to look upward, and it will be too low if it be not as high as God in Jeſus Chriſt, who ſtooped ſo low as to become man, that man in and by him might come to know and enjoy God. I confeſs that humane reaſon cannot at firſt diſcover Chriſt, but being diſcovered by faith, it's all reaſon that we ſhould acknowledge him; nor ſhall we ſhew our ſelves reaſonable men, unleſs we adore him. He is foreign, John 1. 1. and therefore Iſa. 46. 8.it is the moſt Divine Reaſon to believe in him the light which inlightneth every man that cometh into the world. v. 9. and therefore let the Prince of darkneſs ſhut his eyes to this light. But did he for us men and for our ſalvation come down from heaven, and become incarnate, &c? O let us that ſhall at laſt be caught up into 1 Theſs. 4. 17.the Clouds, to meet him in the air, be caught up in the ſpirit, even now whilſt we are on earth, with Steven to ſee and injoy him in Heaven, ſeeing we have ſuch a fair riſe for it as we are men.
2. Eſpecially as we are Chriſtian men, in the clear mirrour of the Goſpel of Chriſt, it's expected that with open face we at leaſt ſhould come to a more full view of the beauty and glorious excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt. Are ye alſo yet without underſtanding? was our Saviour's ſharp check of his dull Diſciples. Matth. 15. 16. And have I been ſo long time with you, and haſt John 14. 9.thou not yet known me Philip? was a quickning Item for his unproficiency. And have not we need of the like Goads in our ſides? Hath Chriſt been ſo much taught, and ſo little learnt? ſol manè feneſtras, and are our eyes yet ſhut? Nay doth the Goſpels Noonday ſun ſhine? and are we yet in darkneſs? like Auſtins. Caeci in ſole poſiti! what a terrible thunder-clap is that, and which may awaken us out of our deadeſt ſleep, and make us open our Eyes, and our Ears tingle. If our Goſpel be hid, its hid in them that are 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4, 5.loſt, whoſe Eyes the God of this World hath blinded. As men, eſpecially as Chriſtian men ours had need to be enlightned.
3. And yet more particularly as Univerſity-men if younger, it's the age in which we uſe to learn other things, and why ſhould we not then begin to learn Chriſt in this morning of our lives, which, if a friend to the Muſes, ſhould not be a Stranger to Chriſt. Perge Seneca Ep. 77.& propera, ne tibi accidat ut, ſenex diſcas. It's ill beginning to learn then, but then better than never. At leaſt let the old man when his ſight grows dim begin to put on his Spectacles; and if it were no ſhame to ſome of the Philoſophers in old age to go to School to learn that which they had not before ſtudied, let it not be deemed a diſparagement to the graveſt, even then to become Scholars to Chriſt, with the ancient is wiſdom, ſaith Job Cap. 12. 12. but no ſaving wiſdom unleſs they truly know Chriſt, and Multitude of years ſhould teach wiſdom ſaith Elihu. Job 32. 7. and no ſhame even then to learn wiſdom, eſpecially this we now ſpeak of. But whether young, and ſo have but few years paſt, or old and ſo have but few behind to number, it concerns us all ſo to number them, that both ſorts apply our hearts to wiſdom. Pſal. 90. 12. whether young or old, as Univerſity men, as learned men it eſpecially concerns us (as ſuch) to learn Chriſt, that we may be made wiſe to ſalvation: for is it not pitty that they who know ſo much of other things ſhould know ſo little of Jeſus Chriſt? to be among thoſe great wiſe men of the world. Pſal. 2. 10. and yet for want of kiſſing the Son to periſh from the way, v. 12. periti but perituri: a thouſand pities that ſuch rare poliſhed pieces, ſuch curious carved Mercurial Statues ſhould have their end to be burnt in Heb. 6. 8. Mark 9. 43.the fire that never goeth out.
But I hope better things of you, and things that accompany ſalvation; that your other learning will be an introduction to lead you as the Star did the wiſe men to Chriſt. Matth. 2. an under-ſtep to lift up your deſires and endeavours to this foreign, this eminently tranſcendent knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.