The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 43
Sect. 43.
SEcondly, There is another degree of Knowledge, that is accrued or obtained, by education and learning, obſervation and experience, called natural or ſpeculative knowledge, or reaſon improved. For humane learning, is as oyl to the lamp of our reaſon, and makes it burn cleerer: but faith and illumination of the ſpirit, more than doubles the ſight of our minds; as a proſpective glaſs does the corporal ſight, Matth. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 7. to 17. Joh. 12. 46. For as the ſoul is the lamp of the body, and reaſon of the ſoul, and religion of reaſon, and faith of religion: ſo Chriſt is the light, and life of Faith, Joh. 1. 9. & 8. 12. Act. 26. 18. Eph. 5. 14. Chriſt is the ſun of the ſoul; reaſon and faith the two eyes: reaſon diſcerns natural objects, faith ſpiritual and ſupernatural. We may ſee far with our bodily eye ſence, farther with the minds eye reaſon; but farther with the ſouls eye faith than with both. And the Beleever hath the addition of Gods spirit, and faith above all other men. I am the light of the world, ſaith our Saviour, he that followeth me (meaning by a lively faith) ſhall not walk in darkneſs, but ſhall have the light of life, Joh. 8. 12. and more ſee two eyes than one: yea, the day with one eye, does far more things deſcry, than night can do with more than Argos eyes. So that as meer ſenſe is uncapable of the rules of reaſon; ſo reaſon is no leſs uncapable, of the things that are divine and ſupernatural, Jer. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 2. 14, 15, 16. Eph. 5. 8. And as to ſpeak is only proper to men: ſo to know the ſecrets of the kingdom of heaven, is only propper to believers, Pſal. 25. 14. Prov. 3. 32. Amos. 3. 7.
Now of natural and ſpeculative knowledge, the wicked have as large a ſhare as the godly: but of spiritual, experimental, and ſaving knowledge which is ſupernatural, and deſcendeth from above, Jam. 3. 17. and keepeth a man from every evil way, Prov. 2. 12. the wicked have no part with the godly. Whence all men in their natural condition are ſaid to be blind and in darkneſs, Matth. 4. 16. & 15. 14. Eph. 4. 18, 19. & 5. 8. Whereas believers, are called children of light, and of the day, 1 Theſ. 5. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9.
Nor is this kind of knowledge, any way attainable, but by Grace from above. No learning, experience, or pains in ſtuddy and Books, will bring them to it, Ephe. 1. 17, 18. & 3. 19. except they become new creatures, have hearts, eyes, and eares ſanctified from above; and that the holy Ghoſt becomes their teacher, Deut. 29. 2, 3, 4. Pſal. 111. 10. Joh. …. 15. Rom. 8. 14, 15.
Nor is it ſaving knowledge that they ſeek after: For though many of them, be great ſeekers after knowledge, great pains-takers to become wiſe: yet it is not divine and ſupernatural knowledge, that they labor for, or deſire.
Indeed wiſdom in the largeſt ſenſe, hath ever carried that ſhew of excellency with it, that not only the good have highly affected it, (as Moſes who ſtudied for wiſdom; and Solomon who prayed for wiſdom; and the Queen of Sheba who travelled for wiſdom; and David who to get wiſdom, made the word his counſellor, hated every falſe way, and was a man after Gods own heart) but the very wicked have labored for it, who are aſhamed of other vertues; as, O the pleaſure that rational men take in it! Prov. 2. 3, 10, 11. & 10. 14. Phil. 3. 8.
Knowledge is ſo fair a virgin, that every cleer eye is in love with her; it is a pearl deſpiſed of none but ſwine, Prov. 2. 3. 10. 11. (whereas brutiſh and blockiſh men, as little regard it) they who care not for one dram of goodneſs, would yet have a full ſcale of knowledge. Amongſt all the trees of the garden, none ſo pleaſeth them as the tree of knowledge. And as wiſdom is excellent above all, ſo it is affected of all, as oyl was both of the wiſe and fooliſh virgins. It hath been a mark that every man hath ſhot at, ever ſince Eve ſought to be as wiſe as her Maker: but as a hundreth ſhoot, for one that hitts the white: ſo an hundred aim at wiſdom, for one that lights upon it, Eccleſ. 7. 28. becauſe they are miſtaken in the thing. For as Iacob in the dark miſtook Leah for Rachael, ſo many a blind ſoul, takes that to be wiſdom, which is not like Eve, who thought it wiſdom to eate the forbidden fruit, and Abſalom, who thought it wiſdom to lye with his Fathers Concubines in the ſight of all the people; and the falſe Steward, who thought it wiſdom to deceive his Maſter. And ſo of Joſephs brethren, of Pharoah and his deep counſellors, of Achitophel, of Herod, of the Phariſees in their project to deſtroy Jeſus; and many the like. All theſe thought they did wiſely, but they were miſtaken, and their projects proved fooliſh, and turned to their own ruine.