The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 41
THE TRYALL OF TRUE WISDOM; WITH How to become Wiſe indeed. OR, A Choice and Cheap Gift for a Friend; both to pleaſe and pleaſure him: Be he inferior or ſuperior, ſinful or faithful, ignorant or intelligent.
By R. Younge of Roxwel in Eſſex, Floreligus.
Add this as an Apendix, or Third Part, to The Hearts Index. And, A ſhort and ſure way, to Grace and Salvation.
Section 41.
LUcian tells of an Egyptian King, who had Apes taught (when they were young) to dance, and keep their poſtures with much art: theſe he would put into rich Coats, and have them in ſome great preſence to exerciſe their skill; which was to the admiration of ſuch as knew them not, what little ſort of active, nimble men the King had got: And ſuch as knew them, thought it no leſs ſtrange; that they ſhould be trained up to ſo man-like, and handſome a deportment. But a ſubtile Fellow that was once admitted to ſee them, brought and threw amongſt them, a handful of Nuts: which they no ſooner ſpied; but they preſently left off their dance, fell a ſcrambling, tore one anothers rich Coats; and to the diriſion of the beholders (who before admired them) they diſcovered themſelves to be meer Apes.
Theſe enſuing Notions (which I have purpoſely taken, as a handful out of the whole ſack, to ſquander away amongſt my acquaintance) are ſuch Nuts, as will diſcover not a few (who are men in appearance, and their own opinion) to be as wiſe, and well affected as Aeſops Cock; that preferred a barley Corn, before a Pearl: or Plinies Moal, that would dig under ground with great dexterity: but was blind, it brought into the Sun. Or Diaphontus, that refuſed his mothers bleſſing, to hear a ſong: Or the Iſraelites, who preferred Garlick and Onions, before Quails and manna.
Men no more differ from Beaſts, Plants, Stones; in ſpeech, reaſon, ſhape, than ſome differ from others, in heart, in brain, in life. Whence the very heathen Poets uſually & moſt fitly compare ſome men to ſtones, for their hardneſs, and inſenſibleneſs; others to plants, that only fill their veins; a third ſort to beaſts, that pleaſe their ſenſes too; a fourth to evil Angels, that only ſin, and cauſe others to ſin; a fift to good Angels, that are ſtill in motion, alwayes ſerving God and doing good, yet ever reſt.
Again, Experience teaches, that mens judgements and cenſures are as various, as their pallats: For what one admires, another ſlights; as is evident by our Saviours Auditors; of which ſome admired, others cenſured, a third ſort wept, a fourth ſcoft, a fift trembled, a fixt blaſphemed when they heard him. And how ſhould it be otherwiſe, when the greater part, are as deeply in love with vice and error; as the reſt are with vertue, and truth. When mens conditions, and conſtitutions vary as much; as their faces. As the Holy Ghoſt intimates, in comparing ſeveral men, to almoſt every ſeveral creature in the Univerſe. Nor is the Epicure more like a ſwine, the Luſtful perſon a Goat, the Fraudulent man a Fox, the Backbiter a barking Dog, the Slanderer an Asp, the Oppreſſor a VVolf, the Perſecutor a Tyger, the Churchrobber a wild Bore, the Seducer a Serpent, yea a Devil, the Traytor a Viper, &c. 2 Tim. 4 17. Luk. 13. 32. Phil. 3. 2. Pſal. 22. 12, 13, 16, 20, 21. & 74. 13, 14, 19. & 80. 13. Matth. 23. 33. Dan. 7. 4, 5, 6, &c. Zeph. 3. 3, 4, &c. Cant. 2. 15, 17, &c. then every of them is unlike another.
Amidſt ſuch a world of variety, I have choſen to ſet forth, how one man differs from, and excels another in brain, and to prove, that to be wiſe indeed, is the portion but of a few, even amongſt us. And this diſcovery alone (as I deem) will be richly worth my pains, and each mans ſerious Obſervation.