The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 45
Sect. 45.
THe beſt knowledge is about the beſt things; and the perfection of all knowledge, to know God, and our ſelves: Knowledge and learning, ſaith Ariſtotle, conſiſteth not ſo much in the quantity, as in the quality; not in the greatneſs, but in the goodneſs of it. A little gold (we know) is more worth than much droſs: a little diamond, than a rocky mountain. So one drop of wiſdom, guided by the fear of God; one ſpark of ſpiritual, experimental, and ſaving knowledge, is more worth than all humane wiſdom and learning: yea, one ſcruple of holineſs, one dram of faith, one grain of grace, is more worth than many pounds, of natural parts. And indeed Faith, and Holineſs, are the nerves, and ſinews; yea, the ſoul of ſaving knowledge.
What ſaith Ariſtotle? No more than the knowledge of goodneſs, maketh one to be named a good man; no more doth the knowledge of wiſdom alone, cauſe any perſon properly to be called a wiſe man. Saving knowledge of the truth, works a love of the truth known: yea it is a uniform conſent, of knowledge and action. He only is wiſe, that is wiſe for his own ſoul: he whoſe conſcience pulleth all he hears, and reads to his heart, and his heart to God: who turneth his knowledge to faith, his faith to feeling, and all to walk worthy of his Redeemer. He that ſubdues his ſenſual deſires and appetite, to the more noble faculties of reaſon, and underſtanding; and makes that underſtanding of his to ſerve him, by whom it is, and doth underſtand. He that ſubdues his luſts to his will, ſubmits his will to reaſon; his reaſon to faith; his faith, his reaſon, his will, himſelf to the will of God: this is practical, experimental, and ſaving knowledge; to which the other is but a bare name, or title. A competnet eſtate (we know) well husbanded, is better than a vaſt patrimony neglected. Never any meer man (ſince the firſt) knew ſo much as Solomon: many that have known leſs, have had more command of themſelves.
Alas! they are not alwayes the wiſeſt, that know moſt: For none more wiſe and learned in the worlds account, than the Scribes and Phariſees: yet Chriſt calls them four times blind, and twice fools in one chapter, Matth. 23. And the like of Balaam, 2 Pet. 2. 16. who had ſuch a prophetical knowledge, that ſcarce any of the Prophets, had a cleerer revelation of the Meſſiah to come. And the ſame may be affirmed of Judas, and Achitophel; for many that know a great deal leſs, are far wiſer. Yea, one poor crucified thief, being converted, in an hours time, had more true wiſdom and knowledge infuſed into him, than had all the Rulers, Scribes, and Phariſees.
It is very obſervable, what the High Prieſt told the Council, as they were ſet to condemne Chriſt; Ye know nothing at all: he ſpake truer than he meant it; for if we know not the Lord Ieſus, our knowledge is either nothing, or nothing worth. Rightly a man knows no more than he practiſeth. It is ſaid of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5. 21. that he knew no ſin; becauſe he did no ſin; in which ſenſe, he knows no good, that doth no good. Theſe things if ye know (ſaith our Saviour) happy are ye, if ye do them, Joh. 13. 17. And in Deut. 4. 6. Keep the commandements of God, and do them: for this is your wiſdom, and underſtanding before God, and man.
What is the notional ſweetneſs of Honey, to the experimental taſte of it? It is one thing to know what riches are, and another thing to be Maſter of them: It is not the knowing, but the poſſeſſing of them that makes rich. Many have a depth of knowledge, and yet are not ſoul-wiſe; have a liberary of divinity in their heads, not ſo much as the leaſt Catechiſme in their conſciences; full brains, empty hearts. Yea, you ſhall hear a flood in the tongue, when you cannot ſee one drop in the life. Inſomuch, that in the midſt of our ſo much light, and means of Grace, there be few I fear, that have the ſound, and ſaving knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified, which was the only care, and ſtudy of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 2.