The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 44
Sect. 44.
BUt take ſome Inſtances, to prove that all ſorts of Naturians are Fools, in comparriſon of the Godly. I'le begin with thoſe that rep…e themſelves, and are reputed by others, the wiſeſt amongſt men: And they are your profound Humaniſts, and cunning Polititians, wherein you ſhall ſee, whether the moſt and greateſt number are not groſly miſtaken, in their opinions and verdicts touching Wiſdom.
Firſt for profound Hamaniſts, a man would think that they were incomparably wiſe; for none ſo thirſt after knowledge and wiſdom as they; & to get it they are no niggards of their labor: nor do they leave any thing unſtudied but themſelves. They know all parts and places of the created world, can diſcourſe of every thing viſible and inviſible, divine, humane and mundane; whether it be meant of ſubſtances or accidents, are ignorant of nothing but the way to heaven, are acquainted with all Laws and cuſtoms, ſave the Law of God, and cuſtoms of Chriſtianity; they are ſtrangers no where but in the court of their own conſciences: Yea, they build as hard, and erect as high as did the Babel-builders; but all to no purpoſe: they never come to the roof, and when they die they are undone. They ſpend all their time in ſeeking after wiſdom; as Alchimiſts spend all their eſtates, to find out the Philoſophers stone; but never find it; they never attain to that, which is true wiſdom indeed. For as the ragged Poet told Petronius, that Poetry was a kind of learning, that never made any man rich: ſo humane learning of it ſelf, never made a wiſe man.
As thus (if I may be ſo bold) what is it, or what does it profit a man, to have the etymologie, and derivation of wiſdome and knowledge, without being affected with that, which is true wiſdom indeed to be able to decline vertue, yet not love it? to have the theory, & be able to prattle of wiſdom by rote; yet not know what it is by effect and experience? To have as expert a tongue, and as quick a memory as Portius; a perfect underſtanding, great ſcience, profound eloquence, a ſweet ſtile? To have the force of Demoſthenes, the depth of Theſius, the perſwaſive art of Tully, &c. if withal he wants Grace, and lives remiſſely? With the Aſtronomer, to obſerve the motions of the heavens; while his heart is buried in the earth? to ſearch out the cauſe of many effects, and let paſs the conſideration of the principal, and moſt neceſſary? With the Hiſtorian, to know what others have done, and how they have sped; while he neglecteth the imitation of ſuch, as are gone the right way? With the Law-maker, to ſet down many Lawes in particular, and not to remember the common Law of nature, or Law general that all muſt die? Or laſtly, with Adam to know the Nature of all the Creatures: and with Solomon to be able to diſpute of every thing, even from the Cedar to the Hyſſop or Pellitory; when in the mean time he lives like Dives, dyes like Naba… and after all goes to his own place with Iudas? Alas! many a Fool goes to hell with leſſe coſt, leſs pains, and far more quiet: that is but raw knowledge, which is not digeſted into practice: It is not worth the …me of knowledge, that may be heard only and not ſeen, Ioh. 13. 17 …. 4. 6. Good diſcourſe is but the froth of wiſdom: the ſweet and … of it, is in well framed actions: that is true knowledge, that makes the knower bleſſed. We only praiſe that Mariner, that brings the … ſafe to the haven.
What ſayes Ariſtotle? to be wiſe and happy are terms reciprocal. And Socrates, that learning, ſaith he, pleaſeth me but a little, which nothing profits the owner of it, either to vertue, or happineſs: And being demanded, Who was the wiſeſt and happieſt man? He Anſwered, He that offends leaſt. He is the beſt ſcholar, that learns of Chriſt obedience, humility, &c. He is the beſt Arithmetitian, that can add grace to grace; he is the beſt learned, that knows how to be ſaved. Yea, all the Arts in the world, are artleſs Arts to this.